Presents the issues in the cultural literacy debate as exemplified in an illuminating set of articles exchanged by E. D. Hirsch and John Warnock. (JD)

Abstracts of 51 papers presented at a conference on foreign language teaching are included. Each abstract is one to two pages in length. Specific teaching methods as well as general pedagogical ideas are treated. Several papers deal with specific languages, including Latin, French, German, Spanish, and Slovak. Instruction in a specific language…

Realia, authentic documents, and mass media are living daily proof of the value of language. Their authenticity, specialized vocabulary, reinforced grammatical structures, and topics of interest can help encourage interest in the target language and culture. They contain current language on all imaginable topics, and are not artificial or…

This publication is divided into two parts. The first part, "Study Abroad for High School Age Youth: Status, Purposes, and Proposed Directions," is by Stephen H. Rhinesmith. This article describes the status of study abroad programs in secondary education, discusses the purposes of such study, and proposes directions for future developments that…

This digest describes the development of cultural journalism and its place in the contemporary curriculum. In the field of cultural journalism, the traditional skills and values of many different groups are chronicled, defined, for example, by ethnic origin, origin, occupation, or environment. The term "cultural journalism" was first…

Although world history and global studies programs in U.S. public schools have expanded in recent years, teaching about India and South Asia has remained insufficient. As a result, students often develop cultural misunderstandings and false stereotypes. India, as a focus of study, provides students with the opportunity to examine an ancient…

Those who warn that the United States is handicapped by a state of international illiteracy are concerned both that Americans are unable to communicate in other languages and that most are unprepared to operate with sensitivity in cross-cultural situations. Culture refers to the view of the world shared by members of a group, the patterns of…

Television in the late 1980s has offered even the occasional viewer an almost dizzying picture of other peoples and cultures, thanks in part to the rapid technological advancement of satellite communication systems. At the same time, a recent survey of the most widely assigned literary works in high schools found that the high school canon changed…

A discussion focusing on whether American Sign Language (ASL) should be accepted in fulfillment of university foreign language requirements attempts to dispel misconceptions about the language; and to show that ASL can provide the same benefits as the study of more traditional foreign languages, including the opportunity to communicate in another…

This guide brings together three types of resources for educators who need information about foreign language camps. A directory describes 26 such camps in 17 states. A contact person is listed for each camp. The Ohio University Summer Language Camp is then described in detail. Subjects covered include staffing, fees, activities for each time of…

This book, one of a series, shows how to help children develop a sense of personal, local, and national history. The message of the series urges parents and children to spend time together, talk about stories, and learn together. The first part of each book presents stories appropriate for varying grade levels, both younger children and those in…

Written by teachers from the United States and Canada, these lesson plans focus on integrating the teaching of history and art history. Seventeen lesson plans cover the topics of (1) Slavery, Henry Ossawa Tanner, and His Family--Grades: Elementary; (2) Chinese Landscape Painting--Grades: Elementary; (3) Regionalism: American Art of the Great…

This digest reviews the concepts of "culture" and "multicultural education" and advocates multicultural education for rural schools. Culture applies to any group with coherent norms and traditions that help members engage the world around them. Multicultural education seeks to create an environment in which students can…

This booklet on the metric system and its presentation in the foreign language class has three main sections: (1) background material, including a brief history of the metric system and a rationale for teaching it in the foreign language class; (2) information for the teacher; and (3) learning activities. The second section includes terminology,…

This digest discusses the integration of Mexican-American history and culture into social studies curriculum. Teaching Mexican-American history and culture is a means of improving educational attainment among Mexican-Americans, of developing "ethnic literacy" among all students, and helping them understand their uniqueness while…